In Hinduism, there's a similar practice to "gunhab" where the parents of the bride and groom get a priest to try to match the "kundli" of both the bride and groom. A kundli is literally like all the information about the birth of person: a birth horoscope/astrological chart.

What about the electric fan? I've heard that superstition many times, that a Korean will not sleep with an electric fan in the room. Personally, I like the soothing sound (the old ones that don't rattle). I've slept with an electric fan in my room for over half-a-century. (Of course, I'm not Korean.)

My family has always had this superstition that if you "split the pole ", meaning to split paths around a pole between you and another person, your relationship with said person will crumble. I don't think it's true but I always find myself walking on the same side of the pole as the person in front of me. Not sure why. lol. ♡

My teachers always write my name in red XD

If you have an exam on your birthday, just take your exam and eat 미역국 after your test :D

Hyunwoo and Hyojin are always lowkey savage towards each other, I love it xD

Ah, I just realize that I once saw the letter "F" in the elevator in Ep1 of the drama"The Girl Who Sees Smell" and at that time I couldn't work out why it was an"F" instead of"4". IT's all clear now. Thanks TalkTOmEInKorean. I have just made great progress in learning Korean. yey :D

in my country its bad luck to spill salt, but you can do away with the bad luck by throwing a pinch of it over your left shoulder.

even though this is "ask hyojin", I like it when you two do episodes together because the atmosphere is so fun and relaxed :)

Death Note

wow, fun topic indeed. Thank you for sharing :D

The Korean letter for 's' (ㅅ) goes through a sound change before 'i', where it is pronounced more like 'sh'. I guess it's simpler to just use the same transliteration for the same letter even though the pronounciation is a bit different.

And...if you happen to sweep someone's feet, male or female, then that person won't get married.

I like the point they made about respecting people who may believe in superstitions (especially the older generations). Even if you think it's ridiculous, don't belittle those who may feel uncomfortable not observing the superstitions.

I don't believe them but, in the US: -13th floor doesn't exist usually & Friday the 13th is a very unlucky day. - Opening an umbrella indoors is bad luck. (feels weird even for me) - Rabbit feet & 4 leaf clovers are good luck. Cross your fingers for luck. - During Thanksgiving, 2 people break a wishbone. Whoever get the larger side gets their wish. -Knock on wood to ward off bad luck after tempting fate. For example: "Its not going to rain." If you don't knock on wood, then it will rain.

I know the "red" superstition, I love writing my own name in red to freak my students out, but I never write theirs...

I'm*

1.13 is unlucky in the states, a lot of buildings won't have a 13th floor and many airlines don't have a 13th row of seats. 2.Spilling salt invites the devil and throwing a pinch over your shoulder makes him go away. 3.Some people also believe that if you line the area around you (or your whole house if you want) with salt, then evil spirits cannot enter. 4.Opening an umbrella inside is also bad luck. 5.If you want to wish someone luck in a performance you say "break a leg!" In order to jinx it. If you say good luck! The show will not go well. 6.If you sweep over someone's feet, they will never be married. 7. If you find a penny that is heads up you will have good luck. 8. If you break a mirror you will have 7 years of bad luck 9.If you say some thing and don't want to jinx it(or make the opposite come true by assuming something will go a certain way) you say "knock on wood" and then quickly find some wood to knock on. 10. "Bad news comes in threes" if two things go wrong that means a third will come soon because bad news always comes in threes. 11. 666 is the worst number to have it is extremely unlucky because it is seen as the number of the devil 12. On the other side 777 is considered the most lucky number.

in malaysia rather than F for the 4th floor its 3A 😂👌

I like seeing hyunwoo in the videos!

In america elevators usually won't have a 13th floor

One of my students here in Thailand told me: If you sneeze, it means someone is missing you or someone is talking about you and the fortune teller/mother etc is here too but in the older generation or sometimes couples would go to a monk.

Hospitals in Singapore do not have a 4th floor for the same reason as well. It seems that this video on superstitions comes at a very appropriate time, because the Hungry Ghost Festival just began 2 nights ago, for chinese people all over the world. The two most prominent superstitions during this period are: 1) children should not stay out until dark, as the roaming ghosts will play with them and lead them away. 2) If you turn while hearing your name from behind you will die.

Wow! A death note reference in a language lesson! That's why I love you guys-you're so real! ^__^

Is it a Korean superstition that causes girls to cover their faces when they are being filmed? I see that a lot. We say in the U.S. that if your ears are itching, someone is talking about you somewhere and if you get goosebumps then someone just walked over your grave (where you will be buried someday). Also, spilling salt and breaking mirrors is unlucky.

in Saudi Arabia -where I live- : 1-if your left ear is itchy it means someone is talking bad about you, and if its you right ear then someone is praising you. 2-if your right hand is itchy you'll receive money, and if its your left hand you'll spend money. I don't really believe that, but i cant help but say it if they're itchy ^.^

Wow this is interesting. In Hokkien culture (one of the oldest Chinese cultures), one of the superstitions is that whistling in the dark brings back bad spirits too. I've never heard of any other culture also having this superstition until now. Cool.

I like this Ask Hyojin...with Hyunwoo!!! ^_^

there's also one that goes, "step on a line, break your father's spine" lol.

thank you talk to me in korean, i've learned a lot :-)

Wow, that was fun and informative. In Jamaica, you aren't supposed to point at a cemetery when passing by it, or walk behind a hearse carrying a casket, or call a person's name in the night in case a ghost hears it. Also, on 9th night (after someone's death), the deceased visits to say goodbye...so don't leave grieving person alone

"Not IF, WHEN" lmfao love you hyojin

I agree! Both of you together have a good "chemistry". Also, Hyunwoo helps Hyojin when her English needs a slight correction or improvement. Hooray for Hyunwoo!

Eastern American: If a bird poops on your head it is very very good luck (I think it is only head, not clothes). A lot of buildings don't have a 13th floor in America, because 13 is considered an "unlucky" number. Black cats are considered by some to be unlucky so there are a lot of black cats at animal shelters. There is a saying "If you step on a crack you break your mother's back". Also if you say something that you want or don't want to come true you knock on wood so you wont be jinxed.

a lot of old buildings or even some new in the US wont have a 13th floor

superstitions are related to cultures rather to specific country. I already know the red-ink one and the 4th floor one too.

The writing names in red superstition is well-known in Taiwan, too~

This intro made me laugh pretty hard!

In America, our version of 4 is 13. Most elevators skip the 13th floor. Also, Friday the 13th is a very unlucky day.

in Malaysia, 4th floor is represented with [3A] floor.

Hyojin is so cute :)

In India there's this one about not handing pepper/chili (chili pepper?) or like... derivatives of that like hot sauce to people because then relationships between the two will suddenly turn bad. something like that. because chili peppers are spicy and biting and make you cry and stuff (I think).

nice shirt

In the Hmong culture, during weddings, neither the groom or the bride cannot eat pepper of any sort. The reason is because it will cause problems or fights in the couple's marriage in the future.

Also walking over three drains in a row is bad luck and can cause injury in the UK

Oh you are teaching me smthing as well! i thought we were the only culture with this superstition!!! guess cultures around the world have more common points than we thought :)

there are so many words in korean that sounds like chinese like ' mi sin '!

In the UK and probably other Western Countries, its unlucky to walk under a ladder, open an umbrella inside and to put new shoes on a table.

Here in America, some older tall buildings don't have a 13th floor, because 13 is considered an unlucky number. Also, breaking a mirror is bad luck.

this is true in the unites states as well.

In the southern (predominately Southeast) part of the United States, if a broom sweeps your feet, you will either go to jail or never be married. In order to remedy the situation, you have to spit on the broom and jump over it backwards. Also, it's bad luck to walk with one shoe on and one shoe off, so if you do, you have to take off the shoes and walk around them three times backwards. :P

In Chinese culture it's because 4 is pronounced the same way as 'death' they sound the same so they relate number 4 to death. In many buildings you won't see a 4th floor :)

if you put umbrella above your head inside the house it will rain in your wedding ... or if you walk above someone (stepping over) then he will stop growing taller. the thing with the ladder is that people believe it create a holy triangle. and it's a passing black cat in night. (I think it started because it's just creepy seeing his eyes in the dark) .

There's a superstition that says if a knife falls on the floor you will have a visitor.

in Brazil To avoid bad luck you should step first with the right foot every time you wake up, get in some place, going out of your home. If you feel your ear like it's burning, someone is talking about you. You shouldn't sleep with the sole your foot turned to the front door, couse if you do, you will die. Opening an umbrella inside your home would make you have some trouble in your family. Don't ever dare eating mango with milk, if you do, you'll die.

We don't kill spiders in our house. It's a superstition that says if you kill a spider, you will not get money. So instead, we catch them in a jar and set them outside. Or we leave them alone.

LOL yes! a death note comparison!

Important from the U.S. And my mom believes in many of our 미신. 1. If ur hand is itching you will get money. 2. If you put your purse on the floor you will loose money. 3. Opening an umbrella or having one open indoors is bad luck. 4. Breaking a mirror is 7years of bad luck. 5. Putting your hat on the table or bed is bad luck. 6. Many people dislike Friday the 13. I think it's because of a movie. That's all i can think of right now. Lol

You won't find the 13th floor in Canada since the number is associated with bad luck dating back as far as, The Last Supper. Many unfortunate things have happened due to this number, so when you step into an elevator, you`ll notice the buttons will immediately jump from 12 to 14. Everyone living on the 14th floor really knows that it's actually the 13th floor....

Ai, forgot the don't open an umbrella indoors one, and smashing a mirror will give you 7 years of bad luck (I smashed 2 so far... can't remember how long ago though) and I think there's something about cracks in the pavement, but that's from a kids story book as far as I know... but I suppose that book came from somewhere.

I purposely draw towards anything with the number 13. It's my favorite number. . .LOL

superstitions are so silly haha. i actually haven't heard of a lot of the american superstitions in the comments below :o however i'm american as well and as a kid i remember avoiding cracks in the sidewalk because the superstition is "step on a crack, break your mother's back." i think opening an umbrella indoors, walking under a ladder, and seeing a black cat are superstitions as well xD so silly lol

Also level 9 in hospital sometimes wont exist also

I've heard about the superstitions of number 4. It's quite well-known in Vietnam but i don't think many people believe it. They tend to avoid number 49. Thre's hardly a house with number 49, they're numbered 47B,.. instead.

we always use red ink if we're checking test papers ㅋㅋ

Hello, Can you explain hand gestures Korean use, for instance in formal situations, or when someone meets someone older and the way you shake hands, also I see when they bow, the placement of hands for men and women. It would be appreciated, thank you.

It basically is that never have your fan on during the night or in a closed room (a.k.a. closing the door or window) because some people believe that the fan will brake of the mechanism and slice your head off. But again it's superstitions and i could be wrong on some information

You're right about walking under a ladder and being passed by a black cat being unlucky in America. Other bad luck signs are breaking a mirror and spilling salt.

In England, you don't walk under ladders, step on cracks in the pavement, open your umbrella indoors or smash a mirror

In the states, we have something like the fourth floor, but instead it's the 13th floor, because the number 13 is supposedly unlucky,

The superstition of no having the number 4 in a hospital or building, like now putting the number in an elevator, is sorta the same here in the US, except it's with the number 13. Here 13 is seen as a bad number and me and my mom have never seen a 13th floor of a hospital or building, or a 13th surgical suite~

There are no 13th floors in many high rise buildings here NY. The # 13 is familiarized with bad luck.

I can think of a few American superstitions I heard while growing up. If your hand itches, money will be coming your way, but don't scratch it or you won't get the money. If you step on an ant, it will rain. If a strand of your hair falls outside, a bird may make a nest with it and you'll have a headache forever. I don't really believe in any of them, but as a kid, I did.

If you have an itch on your left palm, it's supposed to mean you're going to need to spend money. If the right palm itches, you're about to receive money. To stop the left palm from itching effectively, you rub it on some wood. Touching or rubbing wood is the very old method of safely expending built up negative energy of all kinds. Of course you know the number 13 and the days of Friday the 13th are supposed to be bad luck, although I find 13 to be lucky and was even born on the 13th day.

all of those are superstitions in America too, except for the orange traffic light one. Also if a black cat crosses your path it's considered bad luck.

In England, house numbers go 11, 12, 12A, 14 on some streets so that there's no number 13... (I'm in house number 12, and 12A is across the road from me...) And I don't believe in jinxing but I do say things like 'don't jinx it!' and 'touch wood' and I'm not happy if someone jinxes something... and that's it... apart from Friday 13th, black cats, and walking under ladders (maybe it'll fall on you? idk)

In the west african country where i come from called guinea they beleive that: -If you wistle during the night (especially when women wistle) it draws in bad spirits -If you see a black cat you must spi on the ground or you'll get bad luck -That if you stare at still water too long you'll be drownd by evil water witches... along with a bunch of other scary and ridiculous superstitions lol! But, suprisingly, we also have the redwriting supertiton !!! Weird coincidence!

There is also no 13th floor in hotels (im not sure if it is the same in every place) in America.

In the uk breaking a mirror means seven years of bad luck, in France always look into the eyes of someone you're clinking a glass with or you'll have an unlucky love life

Honestly, i would go to Korea to do this 궁합 ^^ perfect branding idea imho

Yeah the red ink thing I associate with tombstones. Those names are in red. I don't believe it means you'll die, but it's just a connection to death because of tombstones. It's at the very least, rude.

I worked in office buildings in here in the US that did not have a 13th floor in elevators. In those elevators they put a letter in place where it would normally be 13. It's strange to me.

If you have hiccups in America it means you are getting taller. If you spill salt it is bad luck but you can reverse it by throwing it over your left shoulder. If you step on a crack you break your mothers back... Friday the 13th is considered a bad day. If you say something like, " I have never had a pimple," you must knock on wood so you I won't jinx it.

The ladder superstition started off for practical reasons, it was because they were unstable and could fall down on you. Many other excuses were made after people wouldn't speak about why they thought it unlucky (and the reason is... People were superstitious about talking about death. That's right, people got more superstitious about something else, because a previous superstition prevented them from fully explaining why they wouldn't do something.) We don't have any actions you're supposed to follow through with dreams, but some people do believes dreams can be slightly prophetic, especially via symbols. (Like dreaming of being pregnant may mean you are going to have many new ideas) People still think that you can read how healthy you are from the whites of your eyes (except for signs of jaundice, that's total bunk) Also to do with health, many people believe that iron or other mineral deficiencies can be seen in how red or not the lines on your hands are (NOT true). Of course there's also classic palmistry to do with the number of lines and their lengths. (That is much less believed, and most people across the globe are more familiar with it) There are some superstitions about stepping on cracks either in ice or in pavement. Dome of that is about it breaking apart your life like the land is breaking from beneath you, or hurting people you love in the number of splinters that ice cracks. There are many older superstitions that revolve around astrology, and when you were born, but the younger generation for the most part totally disregards these things. There's a belief that certain words (such as some swear words) if uttered in your presence can 'curse' you if you don't then pray to be forgiven for hearing them. (Given how many religious people swear, it's obvious that this is just bunk superstition, not an actual religious practice.) There's not speaking ill of the dead (or, as I mentioned earlier, not speaking of the dead at all) -- From what I understand this is because they think they may hear you. And that ties in with the last one I'm going to mention, which is that... There are lots of people who still believe in ghosts and other "paranormal" activities happening to them and directly affecting their lives. But these people don't have any measurable evidence for their views. It is one of the superstitions that most of the population in northamerica seems to still at least vaguely believe in.

In my country (chile) people thinks that write anything in red is rude and unpolite

My parents always told me that about writing in red pen. They also said it was rude to write in red pen so just to never do it. Every time my teacher writes on my work in red pen I get so offended, especially if they write my name. :P

I America, it's the thirteenth floor that is skipped.

i've heard that some buildings they don't have a 13th floor

In Mexico, if you step on the floor with your right foot when you wake up, you will have good luck...or a good day

Also, Fantail birds bring death apparently ._.

Wow Vietnamese and Korean cultures are so alike :O Especially the "4 number" and "Gunghab" :D

Here In Puerto Rico there's a superstition that if someone who is sweeping the floor brushes the top of your feet with the broom then you're not getting married like ever!.I have no idea how that makes sense but some people get really mad if you do it to them xD

in Somalia -where I'm from- : they believe that: 1-if you walk over a person what ever you have will transfer to him. like if you have acne and you do that the other person will get acne too. 2-if you drop your nails on the ground when you cut them you'll be poor! I don't believe in them but i just cant do the second one ^^ and when i was little i used to walk over my little sister when i want to get rid of something i have lol ^^

I also have chinese friends that had to breakup even though they love each just because the fortune teller said that they are not compatible to each other .

I live in the desert where it easily gets 120F/48.8C during the summer. We use fans with the window closed all the time and everybody else I know around here does the same thing. I never heard of fan death until learning about Korean culture so I think it is a superstition lol. Just cause there is a scientific 'reasoning' behind something doesn't mean it has been scientifically 'proven'.

Another one from America is that you'll have bad luck for opening an umbrella inside o: I used to believe everything when I was little, but now I don't. Except I sometimes hesitate to walk under a ladder xD

The number 4 is a superstition in Japan, as well. It's pronounced "shi".

My grandma believes that if you put a purse or wallet on the floor it will have a negative impact on your prosperity and financial income/fortune.

well,back in Africa in Angola precisely the superstitions are teken so serious it creeps me out! when you know someone who is mean or brings bad energies to your life if the person is coming to you house for a visit, u must put salt on ur entry doors floor or wash ur doors entry with sea water before this person get in! all the babies must have for a year or 2 a good luck charm/protection for jinx. when your eat food ur hands u shouldn't eat with ur left hand.... there r like 1000 of it...

四 and 死 is actually not pronounced as the same, they have slightly different in pronunciation.